SERA-IEG-9 Annual Meeting Minutes
March 13-15, 1994
Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
Sunday - March 13, 1994
The program started with an afternoon tour of two commercial
scale aquaculture closed (recirculating) systems. A pilot scale of a potential commercial
closed system producing saltwater shrimp was visited in Caldwell, TX. A commercial tilapia
facility utilizing both closed systems and open ponds was visited near Hempstead, TX.
Monday - March 14, 1994
The session was opened by Dr. Jim Davis, TAMU. Dr. Davis
thanked his co-host Dr. Del Gatlin for assisting with program arrangements. Dr. Davis
introduced Dr. Robert Merrifield, Deputy Director of the Texas Agricultural Experiment
Station, who welcomed the group to College Station and TAMU. Following Dr. Merrifield, Dr.
Russell Muntifering (SERA-IEG-9 Experiment Station Co-Administrative Advisor, Auburn University)
welcomed the group and charged them to think about priorities for research and extension
needs within the designated work groups. Dr. Muntifering also suggested that the group
think about developing a brochure that would identify scientists involved in aquaculture
research and extension throughout the Southern region. Dr. David Foster (SERA-IEG-9
Co-Administrative Advisor for Extension, University of Arkansas, was not able to attend
the meeting.
Two scientists from the North Central region (Dr. Joe Morris, Iowa State University and
Dr. Paul Brown, Purdue University) reported on aquacultural extension and research
activities in their region, respectively. Although invited, no representatives from the
Northeast or Western Region were present. Dr. Jim Davis handed out copies of research and
extension summaries from institutions (e.g., Universities, ARS, and USFWS) which were
unable to attend the SERA-IEG-9.
A program on Food Safety Considerations in Seafood/Aquaculture was presented to the group.
Dr. Martin Brunson, MSU, discussed the producer-driven Quality Assurance programs in
aquaculture presently developed, or in development, in the United States. Dr. Russell
Miget, TAMU, reported on HACCP training programs for processors and distributors of
seafood that will be mandated by FDA. Dr. Katheleen Ladewig, TAMU, addressed consumer
education programs being developed for seafood safety.
Information Exchange Groups (IEGs) that met included: Nutrition, Genetics and Reproductive
Physiology, Shellfish, Economics, Alternative Culture Methods, Fish Parasites/Diseases and
Physiology, Quality Assurance, Alternative Species, Water Quality/Effluents, and
Engineering. Reports from each group were presented on the following day.
A tour of the TAMU Aquacultural Research and Teaching Facility and a social and barbecue
were notable evening activities.
Tuesday - March 15th
Dr. Jerry Shepherd reported on the status of SRAC (Southern Regional
Aquaculture Center) projects. Included in the report were summaries of projects in
progress and upcoming projects (to be approved in 1994) in Nutrition and Evaluation of
Pond Management Practices for Catfish and Baitfish.
Reports of the information exchange groups that met the previous day
were given.
At the end of the reports the chairperson polled attendees about the
format of the meeting, since it had been changed from previous years. The general
consensus was that the attendees liked the divided IEGs so that more that one IEG could be
attended by representatives. The attendees also like the written reports that had been
turned in by institutions that could not attend. It was decided that at next year's
meeting there would be an attempt to obtain from each institution a written summary of
aquacultural related extension and research activities. This summary would be duplicated
and handed out at the meeting. The chairmen ask for and got a volunteer from each
institution present to commit to producing the report for their institution before the
1995 SERA-IEG-9 meeting.
Auburn University volunteered to be the site of the 1995 SERA-IEG-9 meeting. The meeting
will be held in March.
Top of page |